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Will possible suspensions haunt playoff-bound teams?

OAKLAND -- The Oakland Athletics are hoping staff ace Bartolo Colon will be around the rest of the season to help them preserve their American League West lead. The Texas Rangers are praying Nelson Cruz's

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Will possible suspensions haunt playoff-bound teams?

Biogenesis' impact on MLB

As many as 20 Major League players have been linked to MLB's investigation into performance-enhancing drugs and the Biogenesis clinic in Miami. Here's a look at some of the high-profile players that are linked to the clinic and could face a suspension from MLB:

OAKLAND -- The Oakland Athletics are hoping staff ace Bartolo Colon will be around the rest of the season to help them preserve their American League West lead. The Texas Rangers are praying Nelson Cruz's powerful bat will remain in their lineup. The Toronto Blue Jays are eager to see what a healthy Melky Cabrera can do.

None of the teams can count on those developments, as a sense of uncertainty prevails while clubs wait to hear the result of baseball's investigation into the Biogenesis performance-enhancing drug scandal. Colon, Cruz and Cabrera are among the 20 or so players whose names appear on the records of the now-defunct South Florida clinic accused of distributing PEDs.

Major League Baseball is expected to announce suspensions in the next several days, their impact likely to be felt by contenders and also-rans, first-time offenders and perhaps recidivists as well.

"Of course we have contingencies, but there's nothing specific I can give you,'' Rangers manager Ron Washington said of plans to replace Cruz if he's disciplined. "We certainly hope it works out in our favor. Until Major League Baseball comes up with a decision, we don't know anything.''

The Blue Jays and A's opened a three-game series Monday, and Wednesday's matinee will likely include a matchup of Colon, a former Cy Young Award winner making a bid for a second one at 40, and Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera, last year's All-Star Game MVP.

Both believe they should be in the clear because they served 50-game bans after violating baseball's drug policy in 2012, but MLB officials have not indicated whether their links to Biogenesis trigger a second penalty.

"I think I've already served more than enough time,'' said Cabrera, who has battled hamstring and knee injuries this season. "They punished me very harshly.''

The A's entered Monday with a six-game lead over the Rangers and the best AL's best ERA (3.60). Losing Colon again would represent a big blow. He's 14-3 with a 2.54 ERA and has 14 consecutive quality starts. The A's are believed among the suitors for White Sox starter Jake Peavy.

"I don't have any contingency plans. I deal with the moment,'' manager Bob Melvin said. "(GM) Billy Beane) is very good about looking at scenarios, but nothing has crossed my desk that we should have contingency plans because of that.''

Cruz's loss would be tougher for the Rangers, shut out three times in four games entering Monday.

Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz, who hit six home runs during the 2011 AL Championship Series, has never failed an MLB-administered drug test. He received a 50-game suspension.
Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports